Gameplay ideas for a strategic side-view RPG with rows

[KVG]

Hello everyone!

I've been working on a row-based combat system using Yanfly's row formation plugin for RPG Maker MV (http://yanfly.moe/2016/01/02/yep-54-row-formation/) and I'm looking for some more ideas on giving players more strategic choices each turn.

The game will also be using the d20 system so each action has a random chance of success or failure and both the actors and enemies can influence the success chance based on certain actions.

Things I have incorporated so far:

• Charge - Can only be used in the last row when no other allies are in front of you, gives a bonus to hit chance but takes a penalty to evasion chance until the next turn
• Melee weapons - Can only be used in the front row and against the front row of enemies
• Reach weapons - Can only be used in the middle row
• Ranged weapons - Can only be used in the back or middle row
• Spell range - magic-users' spells have different ranges, so some can only be used in the front row (short range), middle and front row (middle range), while others can be used all the way from the back row (long-range); some spells can only be used on allies in the same row as the user
• Double move - take your entire action to advance or retreat two rows
• Single move - take an instant action with 1 turn cool-down to move 1 row forward or backwards
• Full-defense - take no action and gain a bonus to evasion for the round
• Fight defensively - take a penalty to attack but gain a bonus to evasion for the round

More ideas to incorporate:

• Cover bonuses vs. range attacks - if an enemy is in front of the one you're aiming for, you take a penalty to hit chance because they're providing some degree of cover
• Flanking - if two allies share a row and attack the same enemy, they provide each other a bonus to hit
• Bull-rush - Push an enemy back 1 row
• Full attacks - at higher levels, skilled weapons users will unlock iterative attacks, but can't take any other action that round (e.g. forgo moving and instead make two attacks, or move once and make one attack instead of two)

That's all I can think of for now. I haven't actually made the game design document yet just playing around to see what I could and couldn't do with the various plugins available. Now I'm turning to you all for more ideas on additional actions or things I have missed to make combat even more strategic, specifically with regards to a row based combat system.

 

[kirbwarrior]

I love the idea of constant row manipulation. One recent idea I had with the plugin is a close-range spell/attack that pushes the target all the way to the back row and stuns (knocks them to the ground). Because it's close range, it can't be spammed on a single enemy.

 

[Trihan]

One potential issue with the actions you've listed is that there doesn't seem to be any benefit to choosing Full-defense over Fight defensively; both give you an evasion bonus but one also lets you make a weaker attack, which puts you in a numerically-superior position overall. Of course Full-defense might give a bigger bonus than the other one, in which case that's fine.

Keep in mind that in addition to these plugins allowing for some interesting mechanics based on rows, if you have more than one row you can also do neat things with columns.

 

[KVG]

@Trihan To clarify, technically the row system is columns, with enemies in columns on the left and actors in columns on the right. There could be mechanics for rows as well if the developer can code them in. Like distance penalties for firing from A1 to F6 (opposite corners) and then a way to manipulate which "row" the enemy is in to either eliminate these penalties or increase them!

I hadn't thought of a spell like you mentioned @kirbwarrior since I don't normally even use those abilities/spells in a tabletop game! But when other spells are dropped due to system/developer ability constraints, something like pushing the enemy back a row becomes a very powerful spell. I can already imagine strategic uses to get the heavies out of the front row and expose the squishies behind them.

 

[kirbwarrior]

I can already imagine strategic uses to get the heavies out of the front row and expose the squishies behind them.

You can also do the reverse, letting tanks shove friends behind them to protect them or healers draw the target to the same row.

 

[Pine Towers]

Your whole post is almost the same way I think on working with RPG Maker (but I got lost somewhere in the art style and art assets and the whole combat system was forgot). Since I don't know if I'll ever be able to make the game the way I want, maybe sharing with you what I think may help my dream come true.

My tips are:

• Attacks and special abilities that allows movement. Both Darkest Dungeon and D&D 4th Edition comes to my mind: Thieves that retreat one row after one attack to be out of reach, or advance one row putting himself in danger but dealing extra damage; a fighter that shoves enemies back or provokes them to come closer, a thunderous magical clap that makes enemies retreat one row, or burning hands hitting the front row but only if the mage is in the front row too, some magic that can randomly move the enemy back or forth one row. The Yanfly Instant Skill that doesn't spent the action allied with YEP Cooldown can work really well for swift moves or "underpowered" abilities (see my outdated link)
• While working on this (before getting lost on art), I've discovered something interesting: When working with the D&D ruleset (as hinted by both you d20 avatar picture and the use of the d20 system), I've found that the default designed hit chance (60%, if you want to know) is too low. I mean, really low. While around a table with friends and a DM, this might pass-by without noticing, but when playing a computer RPG (cRPG), this (the amount of miss) gets boring real fast. So, I suggest that you work the math for increased hit chance and higher hit points. (Another design mechanic on D&D - at least in the 4th Edition - is that a monster is killed after 3 hits. This can help you math the increased proportion of HP due to increased hit chance and damage output).

If you want any more tips, or maybe a consultant (I play D&D since AD&D, and cRPGs since Baldurs' Gate), please call in by private message. Would love to work with you giving insight and play-testing. Good luck.